Corn or grain knife.



T. B. HOLLIDAY.

CORN OR GRAIN KNIFE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1917.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

THOMAS-SB. HOLLIZDAY, or

royrosr, TEXA$, ASSIGNOR on own-HALF T0 WALTER n. GRIFF TH, 0F MORO, TEXAS.

CORN 0R GRAIN Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

Application filed March 19, 1917. SerialNo. 155,774.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. HOLLIDAY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Potosi, in the county of Taylor and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn or Grain Knives, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved corn or grain knife adapted for use in the hand of the user for clipping the tops of standing grain such as corn, by the simple act of opening and closing the hand.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character and for this purpose which is comparatively simple both in construction and operation, facile in use, comparatively inexpensive in cost of production, but comparatively perfect in performing the functions for which it is intended.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, and this form of the invention has proven highly satisfactory in actual use.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device embodying my invention, the knife shown in open position and the hand shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 illustrates in perspective the cutting members of the knife closed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the knife blade.

In my invention as illustrated in its preferred form in the drawings. the cutting blade 1 remains stationary in the hand. and at 2 a gathering blade is swiveled, the blade being indicated by the numeral 3 and the pivot pin passing through opening 2 in the blade, so that the gathering blade may swing freely backward and. forward on the pin 2 as a pivot. The gathering blade is designed to bring the tops or heads of the standing grain to the cutting edge of the blade 1 and for this purpose it is provided with serrated edges or teeth 4 adapted to hold the grain and swing it to the cutting edge of the blade 1 when the hand is closed.

The gathering blade, preferably is made up or stamped out of a single piece of metal and formed with two plates between which,

the cutting blade is swiveled and the ser rated edges of these two plates are designed to close over the sharp cutting edge of the cutting blade, as shown in Fig. 2. The gathering blade is operated by the four mem bers 5. 6, 7 and 8, the two former being bent finger hooks extending outwardly in the general plane of the gathering blade, and the two latter being finger arms projecting at right angles to the plane of the gathering blade.

In Fig. 1 the position of the fingers with relation to the finger members is illustrated where it will be seen that the second and third fingers are within the hooks 5 and 6 leaving the first finger free, and the first, second and third fingers may be used to press on the arms 7 and 8 to close the gathering blade, while the opening movement is accomplished by the second and third fingers in the hooks 5 and 6. Should the fingers become tired they may readily be changed to give them a rest, but at all times one or two fingers may be free to handle other articles if desired, without inconv-enience.

At the rear end of the cutting blade 1 is pivoted an angle plate 9, the screw 10, being employed and one of the several holes 11 in the blade being used to adjust the plate on the blade. A second opening 12 is provided in the plate through which the pivot pin 13 is passed to pivotally secure the blade to the hand plate 14. This plate is formed with an approximately rectangular body portion, preferably bent to conform to the palm of the hand against which it is to rest, and a bent. curved arm 15 projects from this body portion, and extends across the palm in front of the thumb as shown, and at its end is perforated at 16. By means of a fastening device 16 a strap 17 is attached to the end of the arm and extends around over the back of the hand and is attached to the body portion of the hand'plate to form a fastening loop. At 18 the plate is perforated so that the buckle loop 19 and buckle 20 may be attached and the end of the strap 17 is attached to the buckle 20 as shown. In addition to the loop strap 17 a second strap 21 is utilized, passing around back of the thumb and fastened at one end to the strap 17 at 22 and at its front end to the pivot pin 13 at the inside of the hand plate 14.

From this construction it will be seen that the hand plate is firmlyheld across the palm of the hand, but that the blade 1 is pivoted-to the plate-so that it -will adapt itself to the flexibility of thegh-and in its opening and closing movements, thus providing for a free movement of the cutting action of the knife. By a reversal of the hand'plateand its straps, the device may readily be adapted for use by -lef-t hand peeopies of this pat nt may b o aine for We cen s. e chtby ad lrk ssing the lccmm si nerfii teata' with a hand plate and attaching strap, of a cutting blade, an angle plate fixed to the blade andq'aivotedon "the hand plat-e, an-in- 'tegral gathering blade pivoted at the free end of the cutting blade and movable in a plane at right angles to the plane of motion of the pivoted joint between the hand plate and cutting blade, and said gathering blade comprising a pai- 'uof parallel plates, a pair of finger hooks projecting therefrom in the same plane therewith, andapair of oppov i ely extending finge arms a rig t:- gles to the finger hooks.

In tes m ny-w e eof .I fi x E I Y s g ature- TH MAS 5.-

Washington, D. G. 

